Debating festivals and weekenders
Our Debating Festivals and Weekenders are 2-4 day programmes hosted at your school, featuring:
An opening ceremony and showcase debate featuring world-class debaters on an engaging topic. The showcase debate will give your students an idea of what a debate looks like and what to expect from the sessions.
Our workshops combine debating tutorials, activities, and practice debates. Students will receive personalised feedback and targets, and will be constantly pushed to improve. We are able to stream students according to age and ability, so that those with prior debating experience can be given intermediate or advanced training that assumes an understanding of some of the technical aspects of debating.
A Debating Competition organised, judged, and tabulated by Debate Mate This will be followed by a Grand Final Debate and Awards Ceremony.
Debate Mate branded merchandise, certificates, and awards for all participants.
Sample three-day workshop
Day one
Show Debate and Introductory Activities
Day one will begin with a show debate by our world-class debaters in front of all students and staff that gives an idea of what a debate looks like and what to expect from the sessions.The workshops will start immediately afterwards and will combine a range of interactive activities, practice debates and in-depth feedback
Day two
Advanced Techniques and Practice Debates
Students will focus on putting the skills developed in earlier sessions into practice through different activities, ranging from team challenges to practice debates. Students will receive detailed feedback from their coaches and set personalised targets
Day three
Competition, Grand Final and Awards Ceremony
All students will take part in a debating competition where they will compete against other students, applying the skills that they have developed in the workshops. Students will debate a range of different topics that test their skills but also their engagement with the wider world. The top teams will compete in a prestigious Grand Final, which will be watched by all of the students and guests. Following the Grand Final, the students will take part in a Gala Awards Ceremony, where they will be presented with a graduation certificate and certain students will be recognised for special achievements.
Debating has given me so much confidence and helped me with my English. At first I was really scared. The teachers worked so hard to bring out the best in me and told me that I could do anything. Thank you – I will never forget the last two weeks!